The Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Degree MAPs page in the University Catalog or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

This major has approved GE modification(s). See below for information on how to apply these modification(s).

CSCI 217 is an approved major course substitution for Critical Thinking (A3).

MATH 217 is an approved major course substitution for Critical Thinking (A3).

CSCI 301W is an approved major course substitution for Upper Division Social Science.

The second major-designated
Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or
higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

A grade of C or higher is required in all Computer Science (CSCI), Computer Information Systems (CINS), Electrical/Electronic Engineering (EECE), Business Information Systems (BSIS), or Management Information Systems (MINS) courses used for the major.

Course Requirements for the Major: 84 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree.

Completion of these requirements also satisfies requirements for a minor in Business Administration.

Requirements for enrollment in Upper Division CSCI or CINS courses:

Complete CSCI 111, CSCI 211, MATH 105, and CSCI/MATH 217 all with a grade of C or higher.

Enrollment in any upper division course that is required for the BS in Computer Information Systems is restricted to students who have a declared major or minor that names the course as a requirement or elective.

Lower-Division Requirements: 24 units

This course focuses on the hardware and software of the modern PC , currently available peripherals and upgrades, and the basics of networking. Included will be a survey of the pros and cons of different hardware choices for various PCs, peripherals, and networking options. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity.
(002337)

Systems analysis and design, and the role of Information Systems in organizations. Emphasis is on the project-team design approach. Operational criteria, system feasibility, requirements, and cost trade-offs. Integration of personnel, equipment, hardware, and software. 3 hours discussion.
(002377)

A first-semester programming course, providing an overview of computer systems and an introduction to problem solving and software design using procedural object-oriented programming languages. Coverage includes the software life cycle, as well as algorithms and their role in software design. Students are expected to design, implement, and test a number of programs. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity.
(002281)

This course covers the fundamental concepts and techniques of differential and integral calculus with an introduction to differential equations. Emphasis on applications from the Life Sciences. This course is not intended for majors in mathematics, physics, chemistry, or engineering. No credit for students with credit in MATH 120. A score that meets department guidelines on a department administered calculus readiness exam must be achieved by those who claim high school equivalence. 4 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course.
(005512)

This course provides a broad overview of some of the more technical aspects of Information Systems Security. The content is designed to prepare students for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional/Associate (CISSP/A) examination from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISP2), including a discussion of each of the following topics: security management practices; access control systems; telecommunications and network security; cryptography; security architecture and models; operations security; applications and systems development; business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning; law, investigation, and ethics; and physical security. 3 hours lecture.
(020232)

Prerequisites: CSCI 211; CSCI 217 or MATH 217, all with a grade of C or higher.

This course focuses on object-oriented methodologies in designing and implementing a variety of data structures and algorithms. Coverage includes recursion, trees, search structures, hashing, heaps, sorting algorithms, and graph algorithms. Data structure and algorithm combinations will be studied and analyzed along with their relative merits using both mathematical and empirical measurements. The course includes a number of large programming assignments focusing on object-oriented software engineering and algorithm development. Students will be required to design, implement, test, and analyze their programs in at least one object-oriented language. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours activity.
(002325)

This course is an introduction to basic networking technologies and network management concepts, including major network operating systems, communication architecture focusing on ISO and Internet models with discussion of current standards and protocols. Significant laboratory work using current networking equipment reinforces lectures and provides fundamental experience with router and switch management. 2 hours lecture, 3 hours laboratory.
(002340)

A hands-on project course that examines languages, tools, protocols, and techniques for developing interactive and dynamic web applications. Topics include the model-view-controller pattern, document object model, server side and client side scripting, using a server side database, and web applications security. The course includes several web projects using a web programming framework. 3 hours discussion.
(002368)

This capstone course provides a culminating activity in computer information systems. Students work independently to specify, design, develop, test, and document a complete information systems application under faculty supervision. Students present status reports at weekly meetings, and present their finished project at the end of the semester. 9 hours supervision.
(020996)

This course focuses on advanced system support issues related to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that is used in global organizations. Students learn how to provide basic systems administration support of the operating system, database, and application system software levels within a large ERP system used to support a global organization with multiple companies. Concepts, issues, current trends, decision making, and trouble shooting are addressed through a multi-layered view of the system. 1 hour discussion, 4 hours activity.
(005835)

This course provides advanced training in the engineering and management of information systems security, particularly those systems that play a role in U.S. national security, and is aimed at professionals who plan to work either as contractors or federal employees in the area of national security or defense. The course also prepares students for the Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP) certification test prepared by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISP2) in collaboration with the National Security Agency. Specific areas of concentration are systems security engineering; certification and accreditation (C&A); technical management; and U.S. Government Information Assurance (IA) regulations. 3 hours lecture.
(020234)

Shell programming provides an easy means to perform a wide range of text/data manipulation, system administration, network administration, and software development tasks in the UNIX, Linux, and Windows environments. This course provides an introduction to shell programming and the types of problems for which it is well suited. Topics include regular expressions, advanced UNIX/Linux utilities, the Bash scripting language, and the Perl programming language. Students solve a variety of tasks using UNIX/Linux utilities, Bash Script, and Perl. This course is recommended for students pursing careers in software development, information technology, and information systems. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity.
(002330)

This course guides students through the fundamental responsibilities of UNIX system administration. Topics include file system monitoring, file and directory archiving, user account management, shutdown and rebooting sequences, system backups, system log responsibilities, and basic system security. Projects focus on the creation of shell scripts to automate system administration tasks. 2 hours discussion, 2 hours activity.
(002372)

Select from upper-divison Computer Science (CSCI) or Computer Information Systems (CINS) courses. Select sufficient upper-division units to ensure at least 84 units in the major. A maximum of 3 units may be taken for credit/no credit grading.

Formal Business Minor Requirements: 24 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, also fulfill requirements for a Minor in Business Administration. Students are responsible for formally declaring the Minor in Business Administration.

Introductory study of the information system that measures, records, and communicates the economic activity of an entity, in monetary terms, to stakeholders outside of the organization. The study of assets, liabilities, owners' equity, revenues, expenses, gains, and losses as they relate to the preparation of financial statements communicating an entity's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. 3 hours lecture.
(000077)

A study of the role of law in business environments, including the study of legal institutions and their role in facilitating and regulating business. Includes a study of the legal system, civil litigation, torts and the formation and performance of contracts, and additional related business law topics. 3 hours lecture.
(021824)

An introduction to financial management, providing a background in the areas of financial institutions, the time value of money, analysis of financial statements, working capital management, financial structure of the firm, capital budgeting, and related tools of financial analysis. 3 hours lecture.
(003729)

Using a combination of theory and application, this course focuses on the human side of organizations, including issues of 1) making good decisions, 2) enhancing performance, 3) steering through a turbulent global environment, 4) combining and unifying multiple business functions and 5) enabling change. Students gain an understanding of management and how and why organizations are structured. The themes of quality, technology, ethics, and adaptation are emphasized. 3 hours lecture.
(005704)

This course introduces students to the concept of information systems as the application of technical resources to support organizational processes. Given this foundation, students build an integrative, process-oriented understanding of information systems and their deployment, management, and use within distributed and global organizations. Projects focus on introductory enterprise systems, fundamentals of database systems, and basic Web programming. This course is designed for BADM majors. 3 hours lecture.
(005770)

Nature and functions of marketing systems and marketing in the individual firm. Study of the marketing mix, marketing institutions, and the environments in which marketing decisions are made. 3 hours lecture.
(005872)

Additional Computer Information Systems Graduation Requirement:

Graduating seniors must complete an exit exam as a requirement for graduation. Passing the exam is not required for the degree; the scores will be used for program assessment. Consult the department office for examination details.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.

You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.

Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.

Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.

Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.

Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Honors in Computer Information Systems

In addition to the common requirements for the Honors in the Major program given above, the Honors in Computer Information Systems program includes the following:

You must be recommended by a faculty member.

Students who are admitted to the department's Honors in the Major program must complete 3 units of CINS 465H, CINS 548H, CINS 570H, CSCI 511H, or CSCI 515H with a minimum grade of B. Unless other arrangements are made, the professor instructing the course you take becomes your faculty mentor. It is during this time that you must define a research problem or performance area and develop an Honors Research Project/Thesis proposal in preparation for work in CSCI 499H. You must also maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in your senior year.

Each Honors in the Major class requires completion of the course plus an additional Honors project and culminates with a public presentation of your Honors project.

University Catalog
California State University, Chico
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Chico, CA 95929